The Metro Manila Development Authority on Thursday urged motorists to observe discipline and courtesy while driving to prevent road accidents.
Based on the MMDA’s latest Road Crash Statistics Report, the agency recorded 52,872 road accidents in the National Capital Region during the first half of the year.
Of this number listed from January to June, 214 were described as fatal; 7,670 non-fatal and 44,988 resulted in damage to properties.
Yesterday, the MMDA recorded seven accidents, four of these road crashes which happened along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, two on Circumferential Road – 5 (C-5 Road) and another along Imelda Avenue.
These accidents, which were recorded between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., involved public utility buses, a public utility jeep, private trucks, van and a taxi cab.
Roy Taguinod, head of the MMDA Traffic Discipline Office, cited the lack of discipline and disobedience to traffic rules of the drivers and pedestrians as a major factor on road accidents.
“We advised drivers to observe road policies and courtesy for us to have a safe and orderly flow of traffic,” said Taguinod.
The MMDA identified more than 50 main roads as accident prone areas in Metro Manila.
Based on the 2016 Metro Manila Accident Recording and Analysis System program report, road accidents occur mostly in the City of Manila along President Sergio Osmeña Highway, Radial Road 10 (R-10) and Roxas Boulevard; and on Commonwealth Avenue, Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, Quirino Highway, Quezon Avenue and Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City.
In Camanava area, road accidents usually happen along Quirino Highway and Rizal Avenue in Caloocan City; Circumferential Road – 4 (C-4 Road), Gov. Pascual Avenue, M.H. Del Pilar Street, and McArthur Highway in Malabon City; Honorio Lopez Boulevard, Radial Road 10, and Naval Street in Navotas, and Maysan Road and McArthur Highway in Valenzuela.
In Southern Metro Manila, the accident prone areas are Sergio Osmena Highway and Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue and EDSA in Makati City; the Alabang-Zapote Road, Real Street and Marcos Alvarez Avenue in Las Pinas City; West Service Road, National Highway, and Alabang-Zapote Road in Muntinlupa City; West Service Road, Roxas Boulevard, Ninoy Aquino Avenue, and Dr. A Santos Avenue in Paranaque City; Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue Extension and Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City; Carlos P. Garcia Avenue, Circumferential Road 5, M.L. Quezon Street and East Service Road in Taguig City, and Almeda Street and Herrera Street in Pateros.
Those in the Eastern part were the Marcos and Sumulong Highways in Marikina City; Edsa and Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong City; Ortigas Avenue, E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, Marcos Highway and Julia Vargas Street in Pasig City; and Ortigas Avenue, Edsa, Santolan Road, P. Guevarra Street and N. Domingo Street in San Juan City.
Quezon City recorded the highest number of accidents last year with 33,717 followed by Makati (12,505) and Manila (11,307).
Pateros, on the other hand, has the lowest number of road incidents in 2016, followed by Navotas and Malabon.
“It can be observed that even though most of the accidents occurred at daytime, fatal accidents are considered high during night-time and wee hours in the morning. Drivers, Passengers and Pedestrians are advised to be cautious and attentive during these particular hours,” the report further stated.
The MMDA identified those areas based on the MMRAS which was created and operated by the agency’s Traffic Discipline and Engineering Offices – Road Safety Unit in close cooperation with the Philippine National Police.